I'll Take the High Road
Featuring: Captain Laura, Sarah Wraitholme, and Arkhorn Lionhoof ---- "Blasted gnomes! Bloody dwarves!" the orc general yelled. The Horde campaign against the Alliance had been going on in Coldridge Valley. "Where are those damned Frostmanes!?" The general grabbed Lieutenant Wraitholme by her shirt. "You'd best not be forgettin' something, lieutenant!" "Relax, sir," Sarah rolled her eyes. "The Frostmane trolls are setting up their camp as we speak." She brushed the general's hand off her robe. Arkhorn walked through the snowy lands. "Wha... what are you doing?" he muttered. A peon walking by with wood told him, "Zug'zug! We're building a base." The peon started putting boards together to make a merchant stand. He finished, and went back to get more wood. "General, may I ask what in the name of the Earth Mother are you doing?" Arkhorn stepped around Sarah to confront the orc. "I was just in the tavern discussing details with the council of my guild, and you're planning an invasion of Ironforge? Who gave you permission?" Arkhorn dug his hoof into the snow and shivered. The orc general turned towards the tauren. "You pansy druid. You don't deserve to be born of the Horde. Even the skinny-ass blood elves are more fit than you! And you, Miss Wraitholme," he turned to the forsaken mage, "are a pathetic lowlife with no copper to her name! You two are the worst Horde I've ever seen. Now get the hell out of my sight before I contact Thrall and have you dogs put down for treason!" Arkhorn looked at the ground. Sarah rubbed her hand through her hair. The two then looked back at the orc. Arkhorn spit on him, and Sarah ignored him. The two left the campsite, and headed away from Ironforge. Walking the southern path, the two crossed the mountains. Finally, Arkhorn spoke up. "In the ninety-seven years I've lived on this world, I have never taken the high road o'er the mountain lands. Where are we going anyway?" Sarah remained quiet, and Arkhorn asked her again. "Where are we going, Sarah?" She stopped walking and looked over to him. "Booty bay," she smiled. Entering the lush forests of Stranglethorn Vale, the duo found the Gurubashi Arena. "Well, we're almost there. What are we looking for anyway?" Arkhorn questioned Sarah, who still had not attempted to make him aware of their position. Sarah looked at the overlapping greens in the tall palm trees. She pondered every little detail, until she finally spoke up. "I'm looking for a goblin pirate captain by the name of Laura... she knows how to prevent the Horde's forces from continuing their invasion to Ironforge." "She knows of the dwarfs' situation?" Arkhorn queried. "Who is this mystery captain?" The forsaken saw a rustling in the palms' leaves. She smiled. "Laura's a really good captain." "Being a good captain has absolutely nothing to do with her strategy. How will she prevent the orcs and trolls from continuing their 'glorious revolution' without bloodshed?" Arkhorn emphasized his last words. The tauren druid seemed full of angst. Sarah sighed. "I didn't say anything about 'no bloodshed,'" she turned to Arkhorn and kicked him in the chest. The tauren fell over, and a spear that was heading right towards him missed him by inched. "By the way, pay attention to your surroundings. That spear could've gotten you if it weren't for me." Arkhorn stood back up and felt queasy. He looked to the left and saw a troll assassin. The troll leaped in the air and soared over the mighty tauren. Arkhorn jumped up and reached for the troll, who evaded his grasp. Sarah cast polymorph and turned the troll into a sheep. The troll tumbled to the ground and turned to them. It waited in the form of a sheep as Sarah froze him with a spell, and Arkhorn used entangling roots from below. Morphing back into a troll, the assassin gave up. "Kill me. Do it fast..." The two did not comply. "Why did you try to kill us?" Arkhorn interrogated the shrew. The troll removed his mask to show he was none other than Waturi Deathtusk, a Frostmane Troll who had apparently followed the two from Coldridge Valley. "General Bloodrage did not wish ya to know our true intent, mon," Waturi admitted. "Now that I'm dying, I can tell juu and be at peace, mon... Jah, so we were not exactly doin' Thrall's wishes. Thrall had sent Bloodrage and me to set up a camp for doin' dah spyin' on dah dwarfs, mon, but tha general took it a step further. He wanted to annihilate dah dwarfs. So, weesa been sending boatloads of trolls and dwarfs from Orgrimmar over to tha Eastern Kingdoms, mon. Recently, a cap'n by dah name of'a Laura be foundin' bout our secret. Weesa been'in bribin' her, mon, to keep our secret. Jah, mon, it's bad business, 'tis." The troll coughed up blood. "Tell dah sunuvabitch I said g'bye." Waturi's eyes rolled into the back of his head, and the tip of his left tusk cracked. Arkhorn stood before the body, and turned towards Sarah. "How long have you known about Captain Laura knowing what Bloodrage's forces are really doing?" Sarah admitted, "I've known the entire time. I was on the boat that Bloodrage's cabin was in. I saw the negotiations firsthand. He threated the Hangman's Noose to anyone who snitched. I figured since I'm already dead, why not snitch, eh?" She smiled, and turned towards the tunnel to Booty Bay. "Captain Laura!" Arkhorn greeted as they walked through the tavern's entrance. The goblin noticed them and smiled. She was telling jokes to her crew, and had already bought the entire tavern rounds... twice. "Sarah, ya wanker, how are ya?" Laura carried a dwarfish accent and a friendly smile. She wore red swashbuckling clothes that gave the appearance of a pirate, obviously on purpose. Laura carried a cutlass or a scimitar of sorts on her at all times and NEVER took no for an answer. "Laura, we're telling Thrall." Sarah candidly said. "I know the dwarfs are part of the Alliance, but Thrall wouldn't just massacre them. The orcs were their friends once, and Arkhorn is a friend of them too. Even if you won't testify, we'll do it." Laura tipped her captain's hat. In a proud voice she said, "So, through the maelstrom or do you want to take the southern route?" Laura's ship reached Orgrimmar. The trio headed straight to Thrall. He was discussing some issue with the Peons' Guild at the moment. Laura pushed the peon representative aside and pointed at the king of orcs. "You'd better make time to listen to this, old man." Thrall chuckled and shrugged. "Go ahead. I have all the time in the world." Arkhorn spoke first. "Warlord Thrall, we are three witnesses of Bloodrage's and Deathtusk's operation in Coldridge Valley. We have all witnessed deception among the ranks, great Warchief. Bloodrage is corrupt, and possibly in league with Fel Orcs as well. He is gathering forces to invade Ironforge." "That's preposterous! The forces were sent to Bloodrage because famine and blizzards engulfed his men. Are you saying a general under my direct command betrayed me?" Thrall slammed his fist in disbelief. "It's true, sir," Sarah Wraitholme agreed. "We even have Waturi Deathtusk's consent before he died." Thrall was bewildered. "Died? Waturi died?" Arkhorn nodded. "He attempted to kill us in Stranglethorn Vale. We had no choice but to attack him. His dying words were that you should know of this operation." Thrall had enough evidence. "Take control of a squadron and flush them out. I want Bloodrage in my throne room in less than six months." Soon after that, General Bloodrage was brought before Thrall. "In the name of Draenor, Orgrimmar, Durotar, and all that is Horde, what say you of yourself, Ilgor Bloodrage?" "It's all a lie! I was framed!!" Thrall stood up. "Wrong answer." He unsheathed his hammer and smashed the traitor's head. Bloodrage was decapitated, and the skull coated with leathery orcish skin rolled down the steps of the throne room. And the session ended with Arkhorn's wise words. "He had it coming to him." Category:Stories